64. How then should we LIVE?

 

For many today the eschatology they hold to CONFLICTS with their core beliefs under the New Covenant ...

 

.. Has Jesus already come on the clouds of glory as prophecied in the Old Testament (Dan 7:13-14) and is He NOW ruling in HIS everlasting Kingdom? ... or is this still something to happen after a future battle at the end of the 'milleneum'? ... Is Christ seated on the throne and ruling in the heavenly realm in your biblical worldview? 

.. Was the devil defeated by Christ at the cross as proven by Jesus resurrection? ... or is he just being restrained for a another future great battle of Armageddon... one which Jesus still has to win before Satan is cast into the 'Lake of Fire'?

.. Am I saved when I put my faith in Jesus Christ TODAY or will I still be judged in future? (John 5:24)

.. Am I resurrected with Christ at salvation (as the epistles teach ... Eph 2:4-6, Col 2:12, Rom 6:8-11) ... or is this still something I will have to wait for in the future?

.. Am I now a child of God? (Jn 1:12-13, 1 John 3:2) ...or will I find out in future at the judgment if I have made the grade? (ie Lordship salvation)

.. Am I now united with Christ at my salvation (1 Cor 6:17) and NEVER able to be separated from Him? (Jn 10:27-29, Rom 8:38-39) ... or could I be separated like the sheep and the goats?

.. Do I have eternal life NOW which I can NEVER loose? (John 3:16) ... or is that a reward I am still to receive after I die, get resurrected and get past the white throne judgment?

.. When Jesus says something 3 times adamantly (i.e. that His second coming would be before the generation who rejected and killed Him had passed away) should I believe HIm? ... or is it OK for my eschatological position to require me to explain away what Jesus emphatically taught ... and where this is also clearly taught by the apostles in almost every epistle? ... Were they mistaken?

.. If the bible is the infallible word of God, could Jesus and the apostles have been mistaken about the imminence of the second coming in their generation? (this is a fundamental premise of dispensationalism)

.. Does the New (and everlasting) Covenant abolish the Old Covenant? ... Has it been fulfilled or will the Old Covenant be re-instated in future for Israel as dispensationalism teaches?

.. Has the church replaced Israel and now become the Israel of God in the new covenant? ... Is the church (now one body combining Jew and Gentile) the fulfilment of the promises to Israel? Or will Israel (as a nation) again in future become God's chosen people again?

 

The eschatological view we hold determines how we live ... 

 

(Ask yourself how your eschatology impacts on your children and grand-children and their futures. If the world is all going to end soon, why would they bother to work hard, study and plan for a future? Why would they dream of getting married and raising a family themselves .. or bother to work hard to save for a home?)

 

Theologically ...

 

If we believe Jesus still has to come back to fight another war against Satan, when we see evil we are inclined to sit back and say ... "Jesus is going to fix that when He comes"

If we believe that Jesus has already defeated Satan and left us here to transform the world with His power and message then we will get up and say ... "I must be about my Fathers business"

 

If we believe the kingdom of God is yet to come we will live as though we don't belong here ... still living like strangers and pilgrims (Heb 11:13 &16)

If we believe the kingdom of God our Father is here in all its fullness, we will live as though we are children in our HOME ... and seek to make it what we want. (Heb 12:24) 

 

Instead of wasting our lives in self indulgent complaining as we gather in our holy church huddles, talking about how evil the world is, we will work to CHANGE it for our children's future ... and our grand children's futures. We will live with a multi-generational focus. 

ie God put me here FOR A REASON!

Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV
 
 
 
(Has the church today has FAILED to impact the world as it should have because it has so many people waiting for Jesus to come and rescue us from the mess?   ... effectively praying .. "COME Lord Jesus ... and take us out of this wicked place and then you can destroy all the nasty people" 
 
(This is the legacy of bible teachers and books and movies promoting the supposedly soon coming 'rapture' and the supposed still future return of Jesus in judgment on the world ... one which the church has been told was supposed to have been happening on almost every day since AD 1000? ... despite the scriptures clearly showing that Jesus had promised it would happen before AD 73.)
 
 
 
But Jesus is saying to us in our age...the age of GRACE...
 
 
Matt 18:19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."   NKJV
 
Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.   NKJV
 
Mark 16:15  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."     NKJV
 
Rev 11:16   Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying,"The kingdoms  of this world have become the kingdoms  of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"  NKJV
 
Rev 19:6   And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying,"Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!  NKJV
 
 
Satan is not ruling ... nor is any man. It is our God who rules ... and will reign forever and ever!
 
 
 
 
and Paul exhorts us...
 
2 Cor 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.   NKJV
 
 
We are to be as lights in this world drawing people to Christ   
 
Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.     NKJV
 
 
 
For this to be achieved there are TWO key requirements to convince the world ...
 
The first key is LOVE
 
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."   NKJV
 
 
Brethren LOVE does NOT take from the brethren ... IT GIVES to the NEEDY. (Acts 20:35)
 
If you are standing up as God's purported messenger and one who tells people how to walk with Jesus and claim that you love them, you CANNOT misrepresent to them what God wants as regards their FINANCES.
 
The world today JUSTLY gives churches a wide berth because of the unbelievable deceptions being taught about MONEY and supposed obligations for the congregation to GIVE to the 'organizations'.
 
 
The second key requirement to convince the world is TRUTH and its close companion ... INTEGRITY.
 
We not only need to KNOW the truth but we need to WALK in it.
 
 
Ps 86:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.    NKJV
 
2 John 4   I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. NKJV
 
Walking in TRUTH is NOT an option ...it is a COMMAND from the Father....and it requires a LIFE committment to walk in it.
 
3 John  3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth . 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  NKJV
 
 
The challenge to churches today is to stop HIDING in darkness about financial integrity. Many thousands who have raised the TRUTH they see clearly in the scriptures and know in their hearts to be TRUTH with their church leaders are told.... "If you don't agree go somewhere else" 
 
1 John 2: 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  NKJV
 
1 John 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  NKJV
 
 
 
Brethren, you will never see revival without TRUTH. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of TRUTH (John 14:17, John 15:26, John 16:13, 1 John 5:6). He will not give His support to DECEPTION or LIES.
 
 
NOW standing on the foundation of TRUTH.... we can proclaim the TRUTH about who Jesus is.
 
 
 
 
We as children of God ... KNOWING that our God RULES and that His Kingdom will NEVER END ... should live with a BOLDNESS that shakes the world!
 
 
 
Brethren, Jesus kingdom will NEVER END ... this is the emphatic teaching of the scriptures.
 
It will NEVER be defeated.
 
Luke 1:30     "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."   NKJV
 
Dan 7:13 "I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him. 
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.      NKJV
 
 
Isa 9:6   Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called 
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
7 Of the increase of His government and peace 
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom    NKJV
 
 
Zech 12:10   "And I (God speaking) will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.  NKJV
 
 
Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  NKJV
 
 
The Book of Revelations is the 'revealing' of JESUS ... who He really was and IS .... today for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see!
 
The God who breathed and spoke the world into existence has declared what shall be .... Do you believe Him?
 
 
 
 
If the Law is abolished what rules do we have to follow?
 
 
 
Well the scriptures tell us what rules apply to us as Gentiles... and they are NOT the Ten Commandments of the Law (which are part of 'the ministry of DEATH' .. 2 Cor 3:7)
 
The ministry of the New Covenant is not a 'ministry of condemnation'
 
2 Cor 3:5-18  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious
 
12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech —  13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  NKJV
 
It is the ministry of the SPIRIT ... we are to assist people in finding relationship with God. If what we are ministering puts people into BONDAGE it is NOT of the Spirit.
 
What we are to minister is the Holy Spirit ... and righteousness which comes BY FAITH alone ... not a new set of laws 
 
The first church council in Jerusalem taught exactly what was required ....
 
Acts 15:23-29  The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings. 
24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law" — to whom we gave no such commandment —  25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.  Farewell.   NKJV
 
These same rules are described in Revelation 21:7-8 as applying in 'the New Jerusalem '... and Revelation 22:1-6 and 14-17 ... ie in the New Heaven which is the New Covenant.
 
 
Once you are saved and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, HE will lead you. You will find yourself being transformed as the fruit of the Spirit is produced in you and you will find yourself desiring to abstain from things that you will know are offensive. ... Do not sweat the rest!
 
Don't worry about the Law ... or circumcision ... or festivals ... or sacrifices ... or priests ... or clean and unclean foods.
 
 
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.  NKJV
 
As we read the scriptures JESUS will cleanse us by the Holy Spirit showing us how we are to walk. 
 
 
Live as a child of God ... one who goes about attending to 'my Father's business'
 
 
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  NKJV
 
Let us live in the GLORIOUS LIBERTY Jesus died for us to have!
 
 
If something puts you into bondage ... or is a heavy burden REJECT IT!
 
Matt 11:28 Come to Me , all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."   NKJV
 
 
 
Focus on LOVE ... meditate on God's love for you ... and let His love for you be expressed to others.
 
 
1 John 4:7-16  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for usGod is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in himNKJV
 
 
 
Just spend time getting to know the God who loves you ... and allow yourself to be transformed into His image!
 
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